Crafty Ireland

GIFTS: Every year the National Crafts and Design Fair at the RDS in Dublin, which opens next Wednesday, gives a snapshot of the amazing craftwork being made in studios up and down the country. Just to wander though and see the extraordinary range on offer - from the most delicate procelain bowls to the sturdiest oak furniture - is inspirational in itself. For shoppers, it's a chance to buy something especially creative and distinctly Irish. Sinéad O'Carroll picks a few favourites, and for those who can't make it to the fair, finds out where they can be bought

BACK TO NATURE 

Handcrafted from clay, Michele Hannon’s inspiration for her teardrop bowls comes from simple forms of nature. Prices range from €50-€200. From Design Yard, Nassau Street, Dublin.

An interest in the various ways animals are adorned for festival parades and rituals inspired the creation of Grainne Watts’ ceramic Beast, €290. From The Narrow Space, 14 Mitchell Street, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Ellen Horan’s ceramic pieces are inspired by the colours and ever-changing seascape of the Atlantic, making them a beautiful gift for the wistful traveller, €27. From Lavit Gallery, 5 Father Matthew Street, Cork.

Brendan Scully’s traditional Galway Hooker boat carvings are made from native woods, bog oak and driftwood collected after winter storms. From €20. From The Island Crafts, The Pier, Baltimore, Co. Cork.

Commissioned work sounds expensive, right? Idris Bowen’s bog oak sculptures can be custom-made for as little as €100. All he needs is your idea. See www.twistedspirit.com.

Clare Grennan’s innovative jewellery sees her fusing beech – sourced from a sustainable forest in Carlow – with silver to create an embossed pendant and necklace, €435. Available from the Irish Design Shop, Bow Lane East, Dublin 2.

Edward Cook’s traditional silversmithing methods using hammers and stakes make each of his pieces – such as a silver tripod bowl, €425 and geometric spoon, €70 – unique. From Wayland’s Forge, 36b The Square, Skerries, Co Dublin.

Why not make your own gifts? Kinsale Pottery Arts Centre is offering a three-hour class on December 13th so participants can try their hand at pottery and make their own one-of-a-kind gifts and decorations. €30. For details, see www.kinsaleceramics.com.

PRACTICAL, BUT BEAUTIFU L

Terry O’Brien uses only fallen trees for his woodcarving and fashions them into leaf-shaped chopping, bread and cheeseboards, as well as bowls. Prices range from €8-€90. His Falling Leaves from Fallen Trees range is available from Glór Craft Centre, Ennis, Co Clare.

Enniskillen-native Brendan Bannon makes useful items from Irish bog oak such as a roller ball pen, presented in a rosewood and maple display box, €30. From www.ruralcreativity.com.

At this time of year it’s easy to covet Heather Walton’s Robin collection, which includes a dainty breakfast cup and saucer, €26. From Eden Pottery, 218 Abbey Road, Millisle, Co Down. Also available online www.edenpotteryshop.co.uk

Help a friend cosy up for winter by giving them a soft, woven woollen throw from Foxford Woollen Mills. A wide range of colours are available for €82.90. From Foxford Woollen Mills Visitor Centre, Foxford, Co Mayo.

A great centrepiece for somebody’s party table, Mark Hanvey’s layered bowl is turned from walnut and finished with masur birch and goncalo alves veneer. €65. From Cat The Moon, 4 Castle Street, Sligo.

Know someone who likes to cook? Surprise them with Sinead Lough’s small pinch pots, perfect for herbs and spices. Prices range from €12-€14. From Sliding Rock, Spiddal, Co Galway.

CRAFT GOES BLING 

Gifted , a special pop-up shop open until December 24th, has an impressive selections of jewellery, photography, fashion and crafts from more than 25 local artists, including this crocheted freshwater pearl necklace by Gwen Whelan, €79. From Gifted, 2a Florence Road, Bray, Co Wicklow.

Additional charms for Sabine Lenz’s Symphony Collection sterling silver chain with Celtic disc and lover heart, make fantastic presents for future occasions. Chain, €244, additional charms priced separately. From Enibas, Main Street, Kinsale, Co Cork.

The simple shapes of Maureen Lynch’s jewellery make them modern classics. Her Hidden Hollow 9-carat gold pendant on a 16ct gold snake chain, is €400. From Little Fish Designs, Blackrock Shopping Centre, Co Dublin.

Who wouldn’t love to find Mia Mullen’s gorgeous freshwater pearl necklace, €250 under the tree on December 25th? From Louth Craftmark, Highlanes Gallery, St Laurence Street, Drogheda, Co Louth; also available from Mia Mullen Jewellery Gallery, Thosel Street, Carlingford, Co Louth.

Award-winning silversmith Séamus Gill creates fabulous gold and silver cufflinks, €160. From Studio 21, The Tower, Pearse Street, Dublin 2 or www.seamusgill.com.

THE BIG TREAT UNDER THE TREE 

A silver choker with 18-carat gold detail on serpentine strands proves that Inga Reed’s jewellery is exhibition-worthy, €2,090. From Red Aesthetic, 2 Rose Inn Street, Kilkenny.

Coming from a family of artists in west Cork, Ayelet Lalor continues the tradition by creating figurative ceramic sculptures, such as Green Diva with Black Dog, €650. From www.ayeletlalor.com.

Joe Hogan’s traditional baskets can be filled with fruit or other items to make great two-in-one presents. Small baskets starting from €32. For a contemporary take on baskets, check out his bowl with bog myrtle, €550. From Bohem, Bury Street, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

CUTE AND COLOURFUL 

Perfect stocking fillers, we fell in love with LizzyC’s adorably cute sheep brooches, key rings and greetings cards, from €4.95. From www.lizchristy.com.

Of all the angels on offer this year Mary Neeson’s simple-but-stunning ceramic angels, from €30 are simply heavenly. From Quinlans, New Street, Macroom, Co Cork.

Dressed as an Irish cailín – complete with red hair, Aran sweater and tweed skirt – Aoife is a mischievous fairy doll, €50. From The Si-Óg Collection , 4 Pery Square, Limerick.

Garrett Mallon’s collection of Christmas decorations are keepers. Kiss your loved ones under his sterling silver and pearl mistletoe, €110. From Turpin O’Reilly, 1 Upper Bridge Street, Westport, Co. Mayo.

Valerie McGurdy makes her Christmas herald angels from strips of brightly coloured strips of silk, recycled paper and woven raffia, €20-€30. From Marlay House Craft Courtyard, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin.

The handmade gift will always have a certain charm that just can’t be matched by a mass-produced alternative, and you get to support local, independent craftspeople at the same time.

A terrific resource for finding just the right gift is Etsy.com, an international community of more than 250,000 creators and designers, where they can market and sell their wares directly to buyers. Etsy’s Crafty Ireland team features almost 100 craftspeople north and south of the Border who sell their goods on Etsy. The list of gifts available is extensive, including jewellery, accessories, paper craft, photography, clothes and pottery, among other crafts. Browse through the Crafty Ireland team’s Etsy shops on etsyireland.blogspot.com, and you’re more than likely to find something for that perfect gift.

FAIRS OF CHRISTMAS 

Marlay House Christmas Craft Fair , Rathfarnham, Co Dublin, today and tomorrow, 10am-5pm.

Craft Fair , McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, Co Mayo, tomorrow, noon-5pm.

The Christmas Craft And Food Fair , The Malton Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry, tomorrow, noon-6 pm.

An Taisce Craft Fair , Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, tomorrow, noon-6pm.

National Crafts and Design Fair , RDS, Dublin, December 2nd-6th, Weds-Fri 10am-10 pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm. Admission €10.

IWA Christmas Craft Fair , Menlo Park Hotel, Galway, December 6th, 11 am-5.30pm.

Christmas Fair , The Heritage Centre, Bere Island, Co Cork, December 6th, noon-3pm.

Christmas Craft Fair , Bunratty Castle Hotel, Co Clare, December 6th, 11am-5pm.

Manorhamilton Christmas Craft Gift Sale , Bee Park Community Centre, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, December 6th, 2-6pm.

Teach Raithneach Heritage and Cultural Centre , Slane, Co Meath, December 12th, 10am-5pm.

The 12 Days of Christmas , Dublin’s Docklands, December 12th-23rd, Mon-Fri, noon-8pm, Sat-Sun, 10am-8pm.

Christmas Art Craft Fair , The Venue, O’Donovan’s Hotel, Clonakilty, Co Cork, every Wednesday to December 23rd, 10.30am-4.30pm.

Christmas Continental Market , Belfast City Hall, every day until December 19th, Monday-Wednesday: 9am-8pm; Thursday-Saturday: 9am-10pm; Sunday: 1pm-6pm